Bending-machine.



C. M. YODER.

BENDXNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, l9l2. RENEWED APR. 12,1911. 1 7?, 5%5 Patented Sept. 3, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET l- Rik neJJeJ:

C. M. YODER.

BENDING MACHINE- APPLICATIQN'FILED JAN. 18. I912. nznswzo APR. 12. 1911.

11. ,ZTKEQEM Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

54 E) K) R ZOZMeJJe-J:

c. M. YODER. aeivome MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, l9l2. RENEWED APR. 12.1917- 1,27?,525@

1918. a susns-snm 3.

Patented Sept. 3

CARL M. YODER, or CLEVELAND, orrIo.

BENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Application filed January 18, 1912, Serial No. 672,022. Renewed April 12, 1917. Serial No. 161,672.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL M. YODER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cleveland, in, the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bending-Machines, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for bending metal, more particularly for the reinforcing of a section, strip or band of sheet metal.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for reinforcing a section or band of metal along one edge.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for bending the edge of a section of metal over and around a wire or rod to connect the latter to the section to reinforce and strengthen it.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for simultaneously bending laterally the opposite edges of a strip or band and connecting to each edge or either edge thereof a wire or rod.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the parts and combination or combinations of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a bending apparatus, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine, the guiding devices for the strip or band of metal and the wire straighteners being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the metal band guide and wire straighteners through which the band and wire are fed to the apparatus.

Fig. 4c is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe positive guide for the metal band.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bending apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the preliminary metal bending rolls.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the intermediate metal bending rollers and associated parts.

Fig. 10 is an elevation showing the second pair of metal bending rollers.

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the final metal bending rollers.

Fig. 12 is an elevational view of a set of rollers for preliminarily bending the metal, showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of the intermediate rollers adapted for cooperation with a set of rollers like that shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is an elevation showing a set of rolls adapted for cooperation with the form of rollers illustrated in Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is an elevation of the final set of rollers modified for cooperation with sets of rolls such as illustrated in Figs. 12 and 14.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary top plan view of a metal bending apparatus, such as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 7.

Fig. 17 is an end elevation of the cutting devices.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view on the line a-a of Fig. 17.

I11 the drawings, A indicates a frame or bed preferably mounted on legs a. A, A, indicate spaced standards or upright mem bers between which is provided an intermediate support A The standards A and support A may be fixed to the bed A in any suitable manner.

In the standards A, A, are arranged lower stationary bearings B, B, adapted to receive shafts S, L, and upper, adjustable bearings B, B, adapted to receive shafts S, L. B B indicate brackets, preferably adjustably secured to the intermediate support A The purpose of the shafts S, L, S, L, and the brackets B will be later set forth.

Z indicates as an entirety a set of devices for bending laterally the opposite edges of the strip or band of metal, indicated at 00. These bending devices Z are preferably arranged to bend laterally both edges of the band simultaneously and in opposite directions, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The set of devices Z preferably comprise pairs of cooperating rolls G, C and C 0 mounted on the shafts S, S, each of the rolls C and C being formed with a groove to receive the band and wire WV and each of the rolls C, ,C being provided with a flange or overlapping portion which serves to bend the ad jacent edge of the band laterally at substantially right angles and partially about the wire. C indicates removable washers which are interposed between the rolls on each shaft S or S to maintain them in spaced relationship according to the width of the band being fed through the apparatus. The rolls O, O and C, C may be removably secured to the shafts S, S, respectively, by any suitable means, movement of the rolls and washers longitudinally of the shafts being prevented by nuts E.

Z indicates as an entirety a set of devices for bending or turning over the bent-up edges of the band or strip and around the wires ll. Of the devices Z, F, F, indicate a pair of rolls each formed with a groove 1 to receive the edges of the band and wires and a flange 7 which serves to bend over the turned-up edge. In addition to its function of bending over the metal, the flange f, as it rotates, tends to wrap or bend the metal closely around the wire without permitting it to bulge. As shown, each groove f is substantially of semi-cylindrical shape to conform to the contour of the wire or rod W. The rolls F, F, are preferably idler rolls and mounted on vertical stub shafts, which are secured to the brackets 13', B in any suitable manner. H indicates fingers or abutments secured to the brackets B B The free ends of the lingers H extend inwardly for engagement with the wires W so as to hold them within the grooves f as the band passes the rolls F, F. The fingers H cooperate with the rolls F, F, to hold the wires against lateral movement as the edges of the band are being bent over and around them.

The act of bending over the edge or edges of the band 01 causes the latter to stretch or spring. After the band has passed throu h the metal bending devices Z, the band ten s to curve in a direction opposite to that in which it has been bent and not readily enter the grooves 7 of the rolls F, F. To over come this difficulty, I prefer to provide a small idler guide roll or rolls G for engagement with the band on that side or sides thereof opposite to the bent-up edge or edges, which roll or rolls may serve to guide and maintain the bent-up edge or edges in alinement with the groove or grooves f. The rolls G may be mounted on stub shafts, each of which may be secured in any well known manner to an adjacent bracket B Z indicates as an entirety devices for further bending the free edges of the metal inwardly about the wires. Of these devices, I, I, and P, P, indicate pairs of rolls, each pair having cooperating grooves and flanges which bend downwardly the inturned free edges of the bent-over edges of the band about the wires, as shown in Fig. 10. The rolls 1, I, and I 1 are preferably idler rolls and each mounted on a horizontal shaft extending laterally from the brackets B 2 indicates as an entirety the set of final metal bending devices which bend the free edges of the metal inwardly, compress the metal around the wires W and completely inclose them. The set of devices 2 preferably comprise pairs of cooperating rolls K, K, and K K mounted on the shafts L, L. Each pair of rolls are formed with grooves and flanges or over-lapping portions which cooperate to completely bend the edges of the metal aroundand in close engagement with the wires, whereby the latter are securely fixed to the opposite longitudinal edges of the band to reinforce it. The means for mounting, spacing and adjusting the rolls K, K, K K upon the shafts L, L, are preferably similar in construction to the mounting, spacing and adjusting means for the rolls O, O, C C so that it will not be necessary to describe such means.

In the preferred form of construction, the shafts S, S, and L, L, are positively driven. As illustrative of one form of driving means, I provide gears S S on the shafts S, S, respectively, and L, L, respectively, whereby one (the upper) shaft is driven by the other. To the driving (lower) shaft 1 fix gears S which mesh with an idler S The idler S is driven by a main gear S which is fixed to a shaft preferably carrying a clutch pulley S".

0 indicates a frame mounted on a bracket 0. The frame O is provided with alined openings 0 which serve to guide the band as it is fed forwardly from a source of supply. P, P, P, indicate a set of straightening rollers for each wire W. The rollers P may be stationarily mounted on the frame 0 in any well known manner, while the rollers P are mounted 011 bars Q which in turn may be adj ustably secured to the frame O by nuts and bolts Q to accommodate the straightening rollers to different sized wires.

4: indicates as an entirety devices for positively guiding and alining the metal band for delivery to the bending devices Z. Of these devices, D, D, and D, D, indicate pairs of rollers adapted to engage the opposite edges of the band 00 and guide it to the forming rolls. The rollers D, D, are preferably mounted on a plate D to which are connected coiled springs T, sleeved over rods T to normally draw the rollers D inwardly. This construction permits the rollers D, D, to adapt themselves to irregularities in width of the band and also to guide bands of difi'erent widths.

Y, Y, Y, indicate a set of devices, preferably pairs of rolls, for straightening the band after passing through and being operated upon by the forming rolls. The roll Y is preferably mounted on an adjustable plate, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 Y indicates washers arranged between and serving to space the rolls Y, Y, Y. of each pair from each other. By increasing or decreasing the number of washers Y", the rolls of each pair can be adjusted relative to each other.

In Figs. 17 and 17 a are shown devices by means of which the reinforced band is cut to any desired length. Of these devices, Z is a stationary adjustable blade mounted upon the frame of the machine and having a slot 2 to receive the down-turned edge of the band. Z is a pivoted blade operated by the cam lever Z Z indicates a spring, preferably surrounding a rod Z, for raising the pivoted knife blade when the lever is swung back to normal position.

In Figs. 12, 18, 14 and 15 I have shown a modified form of construction in which a wire W is secured to one edge only of the band 0:. In this form of construction the rolls of the first set of forming rolls at the opposite sides of the band are shaped to bend the edges of the band laterally as shown in Fig. 12; in place of the rolls F, I I and K K I substitute rollers R R R, It", and R B, respectively, which receive, support anld guide the band with its edge bent lateral y.

To those skilled in the art of making apparatus of the class described, many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a pair of devices for preliminarily bending the edge of a metal sheet laterally and partially around a reinforcing wire, a roller having a groove for bending the bent edge of the metal sheet.

inwardly about the wire, an element engaging the wire and maintaining it and the metal in the groove of said roller, and a separate roller arranged in juxtaposition to said grooved roller and wire engaging element and engaging the metal sheet to prevent twisting thereof, and separate devices for completing the bending of the metal around the wire.

2. The combination of a pair of devices for preliminarily bending the edge of a metal sheet laterally and partially around a reinforcing Wire, a roller having a groove and an overhanging flange for bending the bent edge of the metal sheet inwardly about the wire, an element engaging the wire and maintaining it and the metal in the groove of said roller, and a separate roller arranged in juxtaposition to said grooved roller and Wire engaging element and engaging the metal sheet on that side thereof remote from the bent over edge to prevent twisting thereof, and separate devices for completing the bending of the metal around the wire.

3. In a machine of the class described,

the flanges of the rolls to maintain the wires in the grooves thereof and prevent the band from twisting while its edges arebeing bent thereby, a second pair of upper and lower shafts, and pairs of rollers mounted on the last mentioned shafts, each roller on one shaft cooperating with the adjacent roller on the other shaft to further bend the edges of the metal band about the reinforcing Wires.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of upper and lower shafts, pairs of rollers mounted on said shafts each roller on one shaft cooperating with the adjacent roller on the other shaft to bend the metal of the band laterally, a grooved roll mounted on a shaft disposed at an angle to said upper and lower shafts and arranged to bend the ad jacent laterally bent edge of the band inwardly, a set of devices cooperating with said roll to maintain a reinforcing wire and the metal of the band-in the groove thereof and prevent the band from twisting while its edge is being bent by said roll, a second pair of upper and lower shafts, pairs of rollers mounted 011 the last mentioned shafts, for engaging the bent edges of the metal band, one roller 011 one of sa1d shafts cooperating with the adjacent roller 011 the other shaft to complete the bending of the metal edge about the reinforcing wire, and means permitting the adjustment of the rollers on each of said upper and lower shafts toward and from each other.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto hand this 13 day of January 1912.

CARL M. YODER.

set my In presence of- IVM. M. MONROE, HARVEY O. Yomnz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

